House number



Jan. 5,1926. I 1,568,630

G. T. SHEARER HOUSE NUMBER Filed Sept. 18/1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 ai p 7 3526% 72 1 61cm mu;

Jan. 5 1926.

G. T. SHEARER HOUSE NUMBER Filed Sept. 18, 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 guuenfoz m m T y Patented Jan. 5, 1 926 1 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

GEORGE T. SHEABER, OF ATLANTA, GEORGIA.

HOUSE NUMBER.

Application filed September 18, 1924. Serial No. 738,444.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, GEORGE T. SHEARER, a citizen of the United States, residin at Atlanta, in the county of Fulton and tate of Georgia, have invented a certain new and useful Improvement in House Numbers, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates broadly to an improved construction of day and night house number box, and more particularly to an arrangement of illuminating panels in a house number box by which ldentification symbols may be exhibited both at night and during the day in a'particularly desirable manner. I

One of the objects of my invention is to provide a construction of day and night house number box which may be readily manufactured inexpensively on-a quantity production basis.

Still another object'of my invention is to' provide a combined day and night house number box which may be utilized both as an identification sign and also as an illuminat-- mg means for a house entrance.

Still another object'of my invention is to provide an arrangement of panels which will enable'numbers, figures, or other identification marks to be exhibited to good ad- .vantage both at ni' ht and during daylight.

A still further 0 ject of my invention is to provide a combined day andni ht'house number box which may be readi y'manufactured from pressed metal with the iden-' tification panels therein wherethe'box may be entirely enclosed and rendered dust and bug proof.

t11l other and further objects of my invention will be understood from the specification hereinafter following b reference to the accompanying drawings wherein:

Fi re 1 is a perspective view of the combine da and night house number-box suspended rom the ceiling of a porch andarranged to serve both as an identification means for the home and as an illuminating means for the. house entrance; Fig. 2 is' a cross-sectional view through the house number box showing the arrangement of'the illuminating means within the box; Fig. 3 is a rear view of one form of front panel in which the individual identification means may be secured; Fig. 4 is an enlarged view of aportionof the. bottom of the house number box showing the means which I provide for lighting the house entrance below the box; Fig. 5 is a perspective view partially broken away and 1n section showing the ara detailed view of one method of securing the individual sets of panels in the house number box; Fig. 10 shows the construction of a pressed metal front panel for the house number box; Fig. 11 is a cross-sectional view of the house number box constructed of pressed sheet metal; Fig. 12 is a rear view of the front panel frame showing the individ-. ual pressed metal boxes which are provided to. carry the sets of identification panels; Figs. 13 and 14 show.front and side views of the individual 'ressed metal boxes which support the sets 0 identification panels, and Figs. 15 and 16 show methods of supporting ra-ngement of the panels by'which I secure the sheet metal house number box upona covered by my Patent 1,494,318, dated May 14, 1924. The advantages 1n the construction' of my present invention over the invention as covered by myaforementioned patent will be more clearly understood by detailed reference to the drawings, in which:

Reference character 1 designates the combined day and night house number box having a front panel 2 containing cathedral or art glass panels showing the numbers 5 clearly visible in daylight, and when illuminated at night showm the numbers in a reddish glow clearly visi leat a distance The box 1 isclosed at each end by ornamental side portions 6. Illuminating means 7 contained in a receptacle 8 is carried interiorly of the box. An entrance conduit housing 9 is provided for conductors 10 which pass into the box. The illuminating means 7 serves not only to render the identification numbers clearly visible at night but also to serve as an illumination means for the entrance where the light isdeflected through slot ,11 in the bottom of box 1. Slot 11 is covered by clear glass 12 secured in position by means of lugs 14 and 15 and end cleats 17 and 17. The fact that the clear glass 12 is securely positioned adjacent the bottom of box 1 provides a dust and bug proofenclosure at the same time that the area immediately below the box may be illuminated. I

provide lugs 16 at the top of the box 1 in which chains 22 may be-secured for suspending and making pendant the house number box from a ceiling 18 above a house entrance. I also providelugs 19 at each rear bottom end of the box to fasten or suspend the ownersname-plate or plates, or other designating signs, below the house number box. Thefront frame panel 2 is fastened to the sides 6 of thebox 1 by means of lugs 20 through which, removable screws 21 pass and engage the sides 6. i I might also provide a depression in each of the sides 6 into which a spring catch carried by frame 2 might be engaged.

In lieu of the pendant mounting for the box I. may provide an invisible wall bracket 23 at the rear of the box. The bracket is formed of extended bar 24. which engages wit-h the wall against which the box is to be supported. By providing both the vertical lugs 16 and the rear socket members 29 and 30, I am enabled to mountthe house number box on either a vertical or horizontal support. I

' A pair of arms are provided on opposite ends of the bracket 23 disposed substantially at ri ht angles to the portion 24 as represente at 25 and 26. Upwardly extending tongues 27 and 28 are. provided disposed at right angles to portions 25 and 26 of the bracket. These tongues are arranged to fit into socket members or straps 29 and 30 secured upon the rear wall of the box 1 and on opposite sides of the conduit housing 9. These brackets 28 and 29 may be'secured in position b means of screws 31 and 32 while the conduit housing 9 may be secured in position by means of screws 33 passing through lugs 34. I may construct the house number acters are carried. In order that the numbers may be visible both during the day and at nightI provide a uniquearrangement of panels. In each section of the panel 2 I provide a transparent glazed surface 36 such as clear glass or mica. The characters are cutfrom a stencil plate 37 which is non-transparent and preferably white. This stencil 37 is set back against the clear glass 36 and immediately adjacent thereto.-

Behind the' stencil 37 I provide a sheet of cathedral or frame 2 in a unique manner. I have shown the panel 2 consisting of a casting with sheet metal tongues 40 embedded therein, which tongues are bent down upon the diffusing panel 39 thereby holding the panelsin the frame sections. This arrangement of the tongues facilitates the changing of the num bers by straightening the tongues, removing the diffusing panel 39 and art glass panel 38 and changing the stencil 37 as required and then replacing the several panels and bending down the lugs for holding the panels in position.

When the frame member2 is constructed of pressed metal the several sections of panels are housed within pressed sheet metal boxes 41 having a front opening arranged to correspond with the front opening of the frame 2. Each of the metal boxes 41 is secured to the frame 2 by spot welding or other suitable fastening represented at 42 in the drawing. Tongues 43 are provided on the box section 41 enabling the several anel sections to be secured in position an the numbers or letters changed at will. The construction of the day and night house number box is such that it may be readily manufactured on a quantity production basis inexpensively. The box may be mounted either pendantly over a house entrance or upon the wall adjacent the house entrance'. The arrangement of the identification letters is such that the location of houses at ni ht is greatly facilitated while during the day the box presents an ornamental finish for the home.

I have illustrated certain preferred embodiments of my invention but I desire that it be understood that modifications may be made and that I intend no limitations upon the invention other than those imposed by the scope of the appended claims.

What I claim and desire to secure by Letfers Patent of the United States isas folows:

1. A house number box comprising in combination a substantially rectangular housing having its front side open, illuminating means carried within said housing, a front plate for closing the front side of said housing and having an edge portion bent to fit around the edge of said housing, and a plurality of box-like frame members carried by said plate, and a plurality of plate members carried by each of said box-like frame members said members comprising a diffusing panel, an artpanel and a stencil plate contrasting in color With respect to said art panel with characters formed by said stencil plate, and means integral with each of said box-like frame members for securing said plates in position whereby said characters are normally visible in daylight and become equally visible at night when said illuminating means becomes effective.

2. A house number box comprising in combination a substantially rectangular housing having its front side open, illuminating means carried within said housing, a front plate for closing the front side of said housing, and having an inturned edge .portion bent to conform with the shape of said housing, a plurality of box-like frame members carried by the inner side of said plate, each of said box-like members having edges turned inwardly and arallel with the in- Y turned edge portlon 0 said front plate, art

number lates and characters secured in each nation a substantially rectangular housing having its front side open, illuminating means carried within said housing, a front plate for closing the front side of said housmg and having an edge portion bent to fit around the edge of said housing, and a lurality of box-like frame members carrie by said plate and positioned side by side and extending substantially the height of said front plate leavin a gap between the sides of said box-like frame members and said housing between which the edges of said housing are gripped, and a plurality of plate members carried by each of said box-like frame members, said members comprising a diffusing panel, an art panel and a stencil plate contrasting in color with respect to said art panel with characters formed byv 

